Device for opening and closing doors.



L. T. WEISS L H. F. FRANKLIN. DEVICE FOR OPEMNG AND CLOSING DooRs.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.I7,1915.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Wizwg @s Mah L. T. WEISS & H. F. FRANKLIN.

DEVICE FOR OPENING AND CLOSING DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I7. 1915. 11,21%.,26. Patentd. Jan. 16,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WRITE@ STAE PATENT FFEQE;

LOUIS T. WEISS AND HUBERT F. FRANKLIN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS T0 RELIANCE BALL BEARING DOOR HANGER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COR- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR OPENING AND CLOSING DOORS.

Application led November 17, 1915.

To (1U whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, LoUIs T. lVniss and Hifmnrr F. FRANKLIN, citizens of the United States, and residents of the borough of Brooklyn, of the city of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Opening and Closing Doors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to electrically operated devices for opening and closing doors and is concerned particularly with the construction and adaptation of such apparatus for use in connection with elevator doors. In such use, of course, it is practically necessary that the operative parts of the devices be carried-directly on the car and yet be susceptible of engagement automatically with the door to be opened or closed which, of course, is slidably mounted in the hatchway. A further consideration. aside from the automatic engagement and disengagement of such opening and closing devices with the door when the elevator is going up or down, resides ,in the desirability of actuating the door in such manner as to move it slowly at its extreme positions of travel and rapidly between such extreme positions.

Another desirable feature which is peculiar to devices of the character with which this invention is concerned lies in -the use of a single manually operable member for initiating both the opening and the closing movement of the door, thereby eliminating one factor demanding the intelligent attention of the attendant.

The present invention seeks to lprovide an opening and closing device for elevator doors which shall embody all of the advantages pointed out above and shall eliminate many of the disadvantages heretofore present in such devices and which disadvantages have not been merely of a mechanical nature but have been such as to jeopardize the safety of passengers in the car.

More particularly the invention seeks to provide simple devices, electrically operated and initiated through a simple, single manipulation of an attendant, which shall be compact and invariable in operation, shall give the required speed in the opening and closing movements of the door and yet ef- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented aan. te, fait. serial No. 61,867.

nection with this last named feature, it is to be noted that the improved construction introduces an additional factor of safety, in

that the devices cannot be connected to the door to be opened until the car has been brought to rest at a safe predetermined position with respect to the doorway.

The invention will be described with greater detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which* Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in front elevation ofthe improved opening and closing devices as applied to an elevator door, so much. of the door and hatchway being indicated as is necessary for an understanding of the invention. F ig. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation ofthe car shown in Fig. 1 and showing the devices in their positions of rest.

'hile it willbe apparent as the description proceeds that the present improvements are equally applicable to doors of any character designed for use under any conditions. the accompanying drawings show the devices as applied to elevator doors in which these devices are especially useful.

The description of the actuating means per se, without reference to their use, will emphasize 4the scope of the invention as defined.

The prime mover, indicated as an electrical motor a., has its circuit controlled by a suitable switch b, in which the movable member 7) may be moved to make and break the circuit as required. The motor shaft carries at one end a slidable clutch member a which is engaged by a shifter fork c, pivoted as at e', say, to the motor base, and having its other end provided with a roller c2 adapted to ride on the face of a cam d, the surface of which is conveniently divided into three projections and three depressions, spaced at regular intervals about the perimeter of the cam. The shifter lever 0 also is pivotally connected, as through a link b2, with the movable switch member b for controlling the circuit ofthe motor a. The roller c2 on the end of the lever c is held against the face of the cam by a suitable spring 03. The cam d is rotated by a stepby-step movement through an angle of 60o at each step by a suitable pawl and ratchet arrangement, the ratchet d being carried on the cam and the pawl e, which cooperates with the ratchet, being carried on an oscillating arm (Z2 vwhich is pivot-ally supported on the cam shaft. This arm (l2 may be oscillated manually by means of' an elbow' lever f on one arm of which may be carried a convenient pull-cord y for the attendant, and on the other arm of' which may be pivotally connected the oscillating arm Z2 through a link f. After each oscillation of the arm (I2 with its pawl a through movement of the pull-cord g, the parts are restored to their normal positions upon release of the cord under the infiuence of a spring f2 which is operatively engaged with the elbow lever f. Each alternate step movement of the cam (I serves to close the switch b and thereby start the motor and simultaneously rock the shifter fork c so as to slide the clutch member a into engagement with a `cooperating clutch member h through which, by suitable transmitting devices, the power of the motor is applied to the door,as will later appear. In the particular embodiment illustrated,

transmitting devices of a satisfactory character have been illustrated and will be described, although the invention is not to be limited to the specific character of such transmitting devices. Since, at the present time, an electrical motor suitable for use in the improved apparat-us, is of rela-tively high speed, it is necessary to interpose ,some speed reduction units between the motor and the door. As shown in Fig. 2, there has been provided a planetary reduction gear which comprises generally a non-rotatable spur gear z', a rotatable spur gear L mounted in juxtaposition tothe first named gear and having, say, one ,more tooth than the first named gear, and a planetary pinion Z, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of 'both of said gears and it', adapted to roll around both of said gears ef. it', and supported on the second named clutch member L. The result is that when the clutch member a is moved into engagement with the clutch member z, through actuation of the cam J, the motor causes the pinion Z to roll around the gears z', 7c, at a high speed. For each complete rotation of the pinion Z around the circumference of the gears z', f, the gear It', having a different number of' teeth from the fixed gear z', is 'aused to rotate a distance measured by one tooth. The rotatable gear It' is keyed on a rotatable shaft m, on the end of which is a crank arm m', the end of which is connected through a link n with a swinging lever o pivotally connected at one end to a second link 0 and at the other end, as at 02, to a slidable carriage 03f The link 0 is pivotally supported on a relatively fixed frame member p and permits longitudinal movement ofthe swinging lever o while affording a fixed axis about which the same may swing` when the door is being moved to opened or closed position. On the carriage 03 are carried brackets 04 to support spaced guide members 05, fiared at each end to receive and engage cooperating devices on the door to be actuated, as will be described later.

The description thus` far given is of a complete and operative door opening and closing device which may be mounted in proper relation to the door to be moved. In the illustratedl embodiment, the devices thus far described are shown as carried directly on the top wall of an elevator, the roof of which is indicated generally at q. In this embodiment the pull-cord 1f/ is extended into the car and is within convenient reach of the attendant. As the car is constantly moving up and down, it will be understood that the spaced guide members of will engage automatically with suitable coperating means on each door at each landing. One such `door is shown in the drawings at and is mounted slidably in any approved manner, as on rollers r disposed on a longitudinal track r2 secured on the inner wall of the hatchway,.which is indicated at s. This door carries a latch 7', which is formed as an elbow lever with an arm 7'* provided with a laterally projecting pin T5 which rides into the space between the guide members 05 whenever the car is brought opposite the door 1'. Then the parts are thus engaged. the improved means are in position for operation.

An additional factor of safety is introduced in the construction in the form of a lug f3 which is formed on the supporting rock shaft f* for the elbow lever f and which normally rests between two plates o secured to the traveling carriage 0"* and `having their upper edges inclined in opposite directions, as indicated at 07, for reasons which will appear. The rock shaft f4 is formed at its opposite end with` a second lug f3 which, when the door is in opened position, rests between the plates 06 and holds the traveling carriage o3 against movement.

The operationof the apparatus in connection with an elevator will now be described. When the car g is stopped by the attendant opposite the door Ir and in a safe position for the entrance or exit of passengers, the pin rof the securing latch 1* will rest between the spaced guides o5. The attendant will then pull the cord g so as to rotate the cam d through an angle of (S0C and bring the roller c2 upon a projection, thereby swinging the movable member b of the switch into closed position and.simultaneously sliding the clutch member a into engagement with its coperating clutch member it, The pull on the cord g also rocks the rock shaft f4 and raises the finger or lug from its position between the spaced plates 0G on the traveling carriage 03. Rotation of the motor, through the reduction gearing heretofore described, serves to rotate the crank arm 'm' from its normal position of rest which, it is to be noted particularly, is in a truly horizontal plane. The increment of lateral movement of the arm m 'at the commencement ot' rotation of the gear le is very small so that the first movement of the door 1' under the iniuence of the swinging arm 0 is very slow. As the crank m approaches a vertical position, however, the increment of its lateral movement increases materially, and the sliding movement of the door at this time becomes very rapid. As the door approaches its fully opened position, the crank arm m again approaches a horizontal plane and its increment of movement again decreases so that the door reaches its final position of rest vei slowly and gently, as is desirable. Just as -the door reaches its fully opened position, oi.. of the inclined edges of one of the plates o engages one of the fingers f3 at the end of the rock shaft f4 and this lug rides'up the inclined face of the plate until finally, as the door comes to rest, it drops between the plates 06A and locks the sliding carriage o3 against Jfurther movement in either direction'. This automatic rocking of the rock shaft f4 through the engagement of the lug f3 with the inclined edge 0T of the plate o results in a further rotation of the cam d through an angle of 60 and thereby brings the roller e2 in a depression in the cam so that the movable member b of the switch b is swung to inoperative position and the clutch member a is slid out of engagement with its coperating clutch member z., there-v by eiiecting the automatic stoppage of the .improved opening devices. When the door is to be closed, the attendant pulls the same cord g and the operations are repeated. Since the crank arm m has been rotated, during the opening of the door, through an angle of only 180, its further rotation in the same direction through an angle of 180 necessa! rily swings the arm 0 in the opposite direction and brings about a closing of the door. The same changes in'speed of movement of the door at the beginning and ending of itsv movement to and from maximum speed, respectively, during the mid course of its travel, are occasioned during the closing of the door so that it moves into its final position of rest very slowly and gently, as is desirable. .Again, the inclined edge oI of one of the plates o engages one oflthe lugs f3 on the rock shaft f4 during the final closing movement and rocks the shaft so as to actuate the cam d through a further angle of rnot be repeated except to emphasize that these advantages consist not only in the improved mechanical structure, but also in theV elimination of many dangerous Jfactors heretofore present in the opening and closing movements of elevator doors. 1n the illustrated embodiment, a single member, the pull-cord g, serves to initiate both the opening and closing movements of the door, so that no intelligent attention of the operator is required. Again, the door cannot be opened unless the pin 115, or equivalent device, is brought to rest between the guides 0", and this relationship is only effected when the car is opposite the doorway.

If desired, there may be included in the apparatus an additional safety device, consisting of a switch in the controller circuit of the elevator, one of the switch members 0* being carried by the movable carrier 0?' and arranged to engage with the other switch member t only when the door is fully closed. The controller is indicated diagrammatically at u in Fig. 1, and it will be understood that when the door is fully closed, the controller circuit will be closed and if, through accident, the door is not fully closed, it will obviously be impossible to start the car. This safety arrangement is, of course, highly desirable.

The purely mechanical features of the apparatus may have equivalent constructions substituted and rearrangements of the parts may be effected by those skilled in the art, but all such departures are to be deemed Within the spirit of the invention, provided they fall within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

l. Devices for opening and closing sliding doors comprising in combination a prime mover, operative connectlons between the prlme mover and the door mcludlng a clutch, a lug in operativerelation with the tween the motor and the door by which unidirectional rotation of the motor imparts opening and closing movements to the door, a single controlling switch in the circuit of the niotoi', manually operable means to close said switch and devices movable with the door to initiate automatically the opening of the switch.

3. Devices for opening and closing doors comprising, in combination, an electric motor, operative connections between the motor and the door including a clutch, a switch in the circuit of the motor, a cam for controlling the positions of the clutch and the switch, and means for imparting a rotative movement to said cam to alternately close and open the switch and throw the clutch into and out of operative positions respectively.

4. Devices for opening and closing doors comprising, in combination, an electric motor, operative connections between the motor and the door including al clutch, a .shifter fork for the clutch, a switch in the circuit of the motor connected to said shifter fork, av

rotatable cam engaging the fork and deter mining the position of the clutch and the switch, pawl and ratchet devices for imparting a step by step vmovement to said cam, a spring for maintaining the end ofthe shifter fork against the face of the cam, a spring for restoring the pawl to normal po-v sition after each movement thereof, and a single manually operable lever for-rotating the cam to initiate the opening and closing movements of the door.

5. Opening and closing devices for elevator doors comprising an electric motor carried on the elevator, operative connections between the electric motor and the door including a clutch, a shifter fork engaging the clutch, a switch in the motor circuit actuated by the shifter fork, a manually horizontal plane, a lswinging arm with which the crank arm 1s pivotally connected, said Swinging arm being engaged with the door when the elevator is opposite the door, a shifter fork for the clutch, a switch in the motor circuit actuated by the shifter fork, a. cam against which one end of the shifter fork rests, a pawl and ratchet for imparting a step by step rotative movement to the cam, a manually operable rock shaft for actuating lthe pawl and ratchet, lugs carried adjacent opposite ends of the rock shaft, spaced plates movable with said swinging arm and y, between which one or the other of said lugs rests when the door is in one or the other of its extreme positions, cams formed on said plates to engage one or the other of said lugs and actuate the rock shaft as the door approaches its extreme position of travel, spaced guides carried with the swinging arm and an arm carried with the door to engage the guides when the elevator is opposite the door.

This specification signed and witnessed this 12th day of November', A. D. 1915.

LOUIS T. WEISS. HUBERT RFRANKLIN. 

